Angelo’s life was a testament to the power of education, dedication, and the American Dream. He was born on July 22, 1939, in the coastal town of Gaeta, Italy. At an early age, during World War 2, his family and village faced a terrifying German round-up. To escape the danger, Angelo, alongside his mother, grandmother, and brother, ran on foot and walked all the way from Gaeta to Genoa, Italy, demonstrating a profound resilience that would characterize the rest of his life.
At just 17 years old, he made the courageous journey to the United States. As a teenager in a new country, Angelo faced the daunting challenge of learning English while working demanding hours at a local shoe factory. Driven by a deep belief in the promise of his new home, he used his factory wages to put himself through college. His determination paid off when he earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Boston University, followed by a master’s degree in engineering management from Northeastern University.
Though naturally very shy, Angelo made a bold decision as a young man that would change his life forever. Seeking to step outside his comfort zone, he signed up for ballroom dance lessons. It was there, in 1964, that he met a beautiful ballroom dance teacher named Beverly Michaels (MacLeod). Beverly taught him how to dance, and in doing so, captured his heart. The two fell deeply in love, sparking a beautiful partnership that would span the next 59 years of dancing through life together. They settled in Winchester, Massachusetts, where they built a vibrant home and raised their six children.
Angelo’s career was as diverse as it was accomplished. He spent many successful years working as an electrical engineer for Polaroid. Never losing his profound passion for reading, he also turned his love for books into a reality by owning and operating two local bookstores. Later in life, Angelo transitioned into education, spending ten years sharing his practical knowledge and inspiring students as a teacher at The Greater Lawrence Technical High School.
Beyond his professional achievements, Angelo was deeply rooted in his community and family. A lifelong lover of soccer, he spent countless years on the field as a dedicated youth coach, passing on his passion for the sport to his children and their peers.
Angelo possessed a unique blend of an analytical mind and a wonderfully vivid imagination. He was a storyteller, constantly making up whimsical tales to entertain his children when they were young, and later, his grandchildren.
Generation after generation grew up on his imaginative stories of Joco the circus bear, Brunhilda the witch, and Maurice the seagull—whom Angelo playfully claimed was his own personal friend. His favorite place to share these stories was his beloved vacation home in Harwich Port on Cape Cod. Angelo cherished the numerous summers spent there playing with his children and grandchildren. He was a fixture on the Cape beaches, where he would famously swim from jetty to jetty, take long walks along the shore from Allen Harbor to Wychmere Harbor, and stroll downtown with his family to get coffee or ice cream.
At both his home in Winchester and on the Cape, Angelo was an avid vegetable gardener who took great pride in growing his plants from seed. He was also a “legendary” family cook, celebrated by his children as the absolute best flipper of pancakes and maker of tall ship rice. His guidance in the kitchen and at home carried a magic all its own. He famously taught his children that "one-to-three makes good tea," a precise method that made the perfect cup each time—a tradition they now proudly practice and pass down to their own children. He was also a source of physical and emotional comfort; whenever a child had a cut or bruise, Angelo would place a healing hand over the hurt and gently chant, "pain, pain go away," a soothing ritual that his children now use to comfort his grandchildren. Following his second retirement, Angelo found his ultimate joy in family life, dedicating his time to helping care for his cherished grandchildren.
Angelo will be remembered as a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, and a true self-made man whose legacy of hard work, lifelong learning, and love will endure for generations.
He is survived by his loving wife, Beverly (MacLeod) Bittarelli; his sons, Alarico Bittarelli of Medford, and Jason Bittarelli and his wife Rachel of Lexington; and his daughters, Catherine Wills (Bittarelli) and her husband Richard of Andover, Elizabeth Reiser (Bittarelli) and her husband Clint of Andover, and Carolina Bittarelli of Tewksbury and daughter-in-law, Eleni. He is also lovingly remembered by his grandchildren, Alexia, Christianna, Owen, Nicola, Emma, Sophie, Max, and Nate. Angelo was predeceased by his beloved son, Christian Bittarelli of Willmington.
Visitation will be held in the West Parish Garden Cemetery Chapel, 129 Reservation Road, Andover on Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 10 AM to Noon. His funeral service will follow the visitation, in the chapel at Noon. Interment will be held in the West Parish Garden Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Burke-Magliozzi Funeral Home of Andover. For additional information, please visit, www.burkemagliozzi.com.